Rossen Gargolov Koenigsegg CCR tested on the Nordschleife
24.02.2010
E s is a question of sincerity and des Courage when it comes to the relentless disclosure of skills or character peculiarities. It's not much different with humans than with cars. Failure to reveal oneself and not to take risks shows either chronically weak knees or - the perfidious variant - intimate knowledge of the actual status quo. This faction prefers to keep the facts behind the scenes for good reason. Koenigsegg, a sports car manufacturer from Ängelholm in the south of Sweden, who has so far primarily been known through press releases and impressive trade fair appearances as a sports car manufacturer from Ängelholm in southern Sweden, like various other manufacturers of exorbitantly expensive and rare super sports cars, could easily have sided with those who still have it have managed to win over wealthy customers with promising promises - true to the motto “They don't notice anyway”. The fact that, of all people, the Swedish faction of dream car manufacturers, coming almost out of nowhere, lets their pants down so carelessly and lets their exhibit pass the tough tests of the super test, testifies to either incredible naivety or tremendous self-confidence.
Self-confidence or naivety at Koenigsegg?
Because between what in certain circles is sold as a fairytale-like message - the manufacturer speaks of at least in this case 806 PS and a top speed of an incredible 395 km /h - and true sportiness in the sense of agility and maximum lateral acceleration actually usually leaves a big gap. The impressive top speed that the red test vehicle demonstrated in February 2005 on the high-speed oval in Nardo - measured 388 km /h; and that despite a steering angle that is not inconsiderable due to the oval - it did not leave any reasonable doubts about the motor power and aerodynamic qualities of the Koenigsegg CCR in advance. However, it led to the assumption that we were dealing with a PS monster who mainly specializes in the highest speed ranges. But without direct access to high-speed ovals such as Nardo or Ehra Lessin, such an option seems a bit unrealistic. To be honest: Already the 313 km /h that theCCR's first appearance in the hands of sport auto on the rather short straight that reached the Döttinger Höhe of the Nürburgring compared to Nardo, were able to push the driver's pulse rate to a considerable level.
No supertest candidate before was as fast on the uphill stretch as the red Sweden hammer. Towards the Schwedenkreuz at 267 km /h, almost 250 km /h in the little basin - in view of such breathtaking speeds, the Nordschleife once again surprised with a completely different face, especially on the long sections of the track. Hard braking maneuvers in places that can be easily mastered with a third of the power under tension. Corners and edges where previously gentle radii were. And bends that were previously interpreted as straight lines. The immense growth in terms of longitudinal dynamics takes a lot of getting used to, but is relatively easy to digest, as this Swede is surprisingly reliable. Despite all the brutality that the crew can experience first hand, the CCR is alien to any form of underhandedness. As soon as a more or less professional working level between man and machine has established itself, the Koenigsegg is surprisingly cooperative even when exploring the limit area. With the lap time shown on the ring (7.34 minutes), all allegations that accuse the Swede of show car attitudes or a certain monoculture in terms of top speed are eliminated in one fell swoop. The choice of tires reveals which goals were formulated in advance: The Michelin Pilot Sport mounted on the CCR correspond exactly to the special Porsche specification (N0) with which the Carrera GT set the super test best time (7.32 minutes) in autumn 2004 ) conquered.
The CCR is scratching the fastest time
The conflict that arises from the high demands on top speed on the one hand and the demand for high lateral acceleration on the on the other side, is skilfully played over in the Koenigsegg CCR. Despite the optional, very elegantly integrated rear wing between the massive wheel arches, the drag coefficient does not increase significantly, nor are there any distortions in terms of aerodynamic balance, which experience has shown has a strong influence on both the straight-line stability and the degree of possible lateral acceleration . With a maximum of 1.35 g, the CCR is pretty much in the performance window that can be achieved with conventional road tires. With special tires specializing in dry handling, which are now increasingly used by the current sports car elite, values on a racing car level could presumably be achieved in accordance with the high-quality technical background. Even if the weight balance given the mid-engine layoutdoes not quite correspond to the ideal - around 60 percent of the total weight is on the rear axle - the fully fueled two-seater weighing just 1,418 kilograms does not leave the impression that this wheel load distribution is disadvantageous. In this way, the CCR not only shows exemplary neutrality in the limit area, but can also hardly be disturbed by load changes. Even if the rear of the vehicle surprises with lunge steps when the traction control is switched off, it does not happen in a rough, but in a well controllable way.
The reactions to the appropriately directly geared steering are also well described as 'relaxed' - no trace of nervousness even with quick changes of direction. The Koenigsegg moves steadily at well over 300 km /h and thus incidentally confirms the stubborn prejudice of the stubborn and unswerving Sweden. Under such relaxed conditions, limit areas can also be explored excellently under the action of 806 hp - although this pronounced roar from Motor does not neglect any opportunity to angrily counter any emerging serenity. Because what the CCR represents in terms of performance seems out of this world. For the sprint from standstill to 200 km /h with a two-person crew and, as usual, a full tank, less than ten seconds pass - 9.6 seconds to be precise. Half a dozen passionately performed attempts - to undercut this result, ended with very impressive etchings on the dragstrip, but not with the hoped-for improvement in time. In particular, the acceleration value up to 100 km /h (3.9 seconds) did not seem to correspond to the actual performance in view of the brilliant thrust. But what the heavily loaded clutch can withstand without complaint on behalf of the entire drive train, apparently pushes even the widest drive rollers to the limit of their capabilities. Despite the differential lock and the weight distribution, which is beneficial for traction, the pressure of the supercharged V8 ensures that the tire surface is broken down into its solid and gaseous components even in the lower partial load range.
The tires suffer from the power of the CCR
Elegant restraint is simply not the thing of the 4.7 liter, which is located directly behind the carbon fiber cell 90-degree V8, which is of course prepared with dry sump lubrication for all eventualities that are related to centrifugal force. The engine, which can be classified as a small block in terms of weight and displacement, but a veritable big block in terms of performance, is indeed based on American layouts in terms of construction, but is an in-house construction with a very individual character. The compressor motor, which operates with a stroke-to-bore ratio of 90.6 by 92.0 millimeters, has, among other things, a very moderate basic compression of 8.6 to 1on. It is created with the involvement of top-class suppliers in the von Koenigsegger factory. A Swedish manufacturer called Lysholm is also contributing the compressor. With a maximum boost pressure of 1.4 bar, the eight-cylinder, cast from aluminum, develops an incredible 920 Newton meters of torque at 5,700 rpm. 1,200 tours later, at 6,900 rpm, the announced maximum output is available: said 806 hp. Despite all the drama that is hidden behind this charged scenery, the engine reveals an astonishingly sociable nature. In terms of character, it hardly differs from a naturally aspirated engine, which, despite all its explosiveness, manifests itself in a relatively continuous development of power.
The exploitation of the available resources is of course much more relaxed than is to be feared in view of the impressive numbers. The spontaneity of the throttle response is at least as remarkable as the revving. Mechanical noises, such as those caused by the screw compressor, are completely lost in the general spectacle. The hard, extremely angry sounding V8 dominates the scenery with the same penetration as a jet. The six-speed gearbox from the Italian supplier Cima, which is flanged to the rear of the compact aluminum block, shows a bit of modernist features despite the enormous task it has to face. It works semi-sequentially. That is, the stages, including neutral and reverse, are on the same plane. This design is not about an electro-hydraulically operated transmission à la SMG, rather a deflection mechanism below the shift lever ensures the simplified operability of the conventional six-speed transmission. The sluggishness, especially during early shifting maneuvers, and the partial uncertainty about which gear is currently engaged, sometimes awakens wistful memories of the tried and tested H gearshift - especially since the conventional clutch work cannot be dispensed with anyway. With regard to a good arrangement in the cockpit, apart from the system-related narrowness of the cockpit, only minor concessions to the extroverted environment are required. As expected, the all-round visibility is not outstanding due to the group C-like appearance. So before you boldly decide to reverse your parking space, you'd better go one more lap into orbit.
Parking is no fun in the Koenigsegg CCR
The original switch fitting in the center console, modeled on an oversized dial, is the futuristic-looking counterpart to the one at the pilot's eye level arranged display, which in form and function follows the examples from racing. You scroll through the menu at the push of a button and easily call up all the relevant data. On aWatch collection is consequently dispensed with If the driver embarks on further exciting inspection rounds and, for example, looks curiously under the body covers, which are made from high-strength and lightweight carbon composite materials, the close links to racing become even more obvious. As in the Porsche Carrera GT and Ferrari Enzo, the load-bearing cell consists of a central, extremely stable carbon fiber tub, around which all the technical groups are grouped with the help of steel subframes in a clear and service-friendly manner. References to attention to detail can be found everywhere: perfectly crafted CFRP cladding, posh welded seams and milled parts that look like small works of art. The high torsional rigidity of this load-bearing substance also includes the nice option of being able to dismantle the roof surface. Occasional pleasure tours to compensate for the stressful high-speed program are not ruled out per se in the Koenigsegg CCR either. It seems that there will be no further irritating concessions in terms of driving comfort. And a new model variant of the fast Swede called CCX is in the starting blocks. Following Christian von Koenigsegg's logic, it will probably be one thing: stronger and faster.
